Nielsen is reporting that that global ad spending for the first quarter of 2012 was up 3.1 percent compared to the same period last year. The Global AdView Pulse reports double-digit increases in the Middle East and Africa, while North America and Asia Pacific saw modest gains of 2.1 and 1.7 percent respectively.
Overall global ad spend in Q1 2012 was $128 billion, up 4.5 percent over the year-ago quarter. Ad spending has gone up in the Middle East and Africa increasing by 23.3 percent as advertisers targeted emerging economies; Egypt saw a 67 percent increase in Q1 in the wake of last year’s Arab Spring.
Europe was slightly down, with Greece and Spain constrained by the economic crises embroiling their countries, but France, Germany and Switzerland saw more ad dollars than last year. The efficacy of 4,000 ads were studied and Nielsen found humor is generally the way to go.
“Humorous ads have consistently resonated best with viewers, regardless of the economy or year. During the recession, there was a notable lift in effectiveness of sentimental and value-oriented ads,” wrote James Russo, Nielsen’s VP of Global Consumer Insights. “Ads focused on product features and promotion/price do not resonate with viewers . . . even during tough economic times. The performance of narrative and sentimental ads has improved since 2006.”
Ad effectiveness is as important as ever, given the slow state of recovery and global consumer spending projected to exceed $450 trillion over the next decade. “The global recession shook consumer confidence. Economic cycles can now help predict ad effectiveness and consumer responsiveness to various creative strategies,” notes Russo. “Look for the rise of the global middle class, urbanization, the new female economy and a notable shift in advertising spending to all be engines for change and the future growth of consumer spending.”
Source: Brand Channel
